Dak Prescott

Rayne Dakota "Dak" Prescott^[1] (born July 29, 1993) is an American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Mississippi State Bulldogs, where he was the starting quarterback from 2013 to 2015. Prescott was selected in the fourth round by the Cowboys in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Early years

Prescott attended Haughton High School in Haughton, Louisiana. As a senior he completed 159 of 258 passes for 2,860 yards and 39 touchdowns. He also rushed for 951 yards on 90 attempts with 17 touchdowns.

College career

Prescott was redshirted as a true freshman with Mississippi State in 2011. As a backup to Tyler Russell in 2012, he played in 12 games. He completed 18 of 29 passes for 194 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. He also scored four rushing touchdowns with 110 yards on 32 carries.

Prescott began as the backup to Russell again in the 2013 season, but took over as the starter when Russell suffered a concussion. He played in 11 games, completing 156 of 267 passes for 1,940 yards with 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also ran for 829 yards on 134 carries with 13 touchdowns. He was the MVP of the 2013 Liberty Bowl after leading the Bulldogs to a 44–7 win over the Rice Owls.^[2] His 2013 season performance ranks seventh in passing yards (1,940), tied for fifth in rushing touchdowns (13), and fourth in total yards (2,769) and total touchdowns (23). Following the season he was named to the 2013 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll.^[3]

In his first season as a full-time starter in 2014 Prescott led the Bulldogs to a 10-2 regular season record, its first number 1 ranking in program history, and led them to the Orange Bowl. During the 2014 season Prescott broke 10 school-records including: single season passing yards (3,449), total yards of total offense (4,435), passing touchdowns (27), and total touchdowns (41). Additionally his 14 rushing touchdowns is tied for fourth in school history. Prescott also garnered several accolades throughout and following the season. He was named the Manning Award Player of Week 5 times (vs. UAB, at LSU, vs. Texas A&M, vs. Auburn; vs. Vanderbilt), the 2014 SEC Offensive Player of Week 3 times (at LSU; vs. Auburn; vs. Vanderbilt), the Athlon Sports, Davey O'Brien, Maxwell Award Player of Week two times each (at LSU, vs. A&M), and was the 24/7 Sports National Offensive Player of Week (at LSU). He was named a 2014 Honorable Mention All-American by SI.com, was named to the 2014 First-Team All-SEC team by the AP, Coaches, and ESPN.com and was on the 2014 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll. He won the Conerly Trophy, was a finalist for the Maxwell Award, the Davey O'Brien award, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award, and the Manning Award. He also finished eighth in the 2014 Heisman Trophy voting and received two first place votes.^[3][4]

Prescott in 2015

Prior to the 2015 season he was named a 2015 National Player of the Year Candidate, was selected to 2 Preseason All-American teams (Athlon Sports & Phil Steele) and was chosen First Team Preseason All-SEC by the media.^[5] During the 2015 season he became the fourth player in FBS history to pass for 60 touchdowns and rush for 40 touchdowns in a career, joining Dan LeFevour of Central Michigan, Tim Tebow of Florida and Colin Kaepernick of Nevada.^[6] His 2,411 rushing yards places him third in all-time rushing yards by a quarterback in SEC history behind Tebow and Matt Jones of Arkansas.^[7] He ranks 4th in SEC history with 107 total touchdowns responsible for (passing, rushing, and receiving)^[8] and 5th in total yards (rushing and passing) with 11,153.^[9] His streak of 288 consecutive pass attempts without throwing an interception is the longest in school history and the third longest SEC history.^[10] In the Bulldogs' 2015 contest against Arkansas he set the school single game record and tied the SEC single game record for touchdowns responsible for with 7 (5 passing 2 rushing) and set a new school record for touchdown passes in a single game.^[7] He was named the AutoNation National Offensive Player of the Week by the Football Writers Association of America, the Davey O'Brien Award National Quarterback of the Week, a Manning Award Star of the Week by the Allstate Sugar Bowl and the SEC offensive player of the week following his performance in the Bulldogs' victory over Kentucky; a game in which he passed for 348 yards and 3 touchdowns to go along with 117 yards and 3 scores on the ground. The six touchdowns in a single contest tied the school record set by Jackie Parker in 1952 and Prescott became the first player in school history to throw for over 300 yards and rush for over 100 yards in the same game. This was the fourth time that he has been named SEC Offensive Player of the Week, the most in program history.^[11][12] Prescott received further national recognition by being placed on several national award watch lists including being named a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, a semifinalist for both the Maxwell Award and the Davey O’Brien Award, placed on the watch list for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, the Manning Award,the Wuerffel Trophy, and the Senior Bowl, and won the Senior CLASS Award as well as being awarded the 2017 NCAA Today’s Top 10 Award. ^{[13][14][15][16]} For the season he passed for 3,793 yards, 29 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns.

For his career, Prescott finished 3rd in SEC history in total yards,^[17] and 4th in total touchdowns.^[18] Prescott holds 38 school records.^[6][19]

Records and honors

• Single game record for passing yards in the Orange Bowl (453)
• Single game record for passing attempts in the Orange Bowl (51, tied)
• Single game record for passing completions in the Orange Bowl (33, tied)
• Single game record for passing yards in the Belk Bowl (380)
• Single game record for total yards in the Belk Bowl (427)
• Single game record for touchdown passes in the Belk Bowl with (4, tied)
• 2016 Senior Bowl Most Outstanding Player
• 2015 Senior Class Award
• 2014 and 2015 Conerly Trophy
• 2015 Belk Bowl MVP
• 2013, 2014, and 2015 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll
• 2015 SEC Offensive Player of the Week (at Arkansas and vs. Kentucky)
• 2014 and 2015 First-team All-SEC (AP and Coaches)
• 2014 SEC Offensive Player of Week (at LSU; vs. Auburn; vs. Vanderbilt)
• 2013 Liberty Bowl MVP

^{[20] [21]}

College statistics

Professional career

Prescott playing against the Washington Redskins in 2016

The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2016 NFL Draft with a plan to acquire a young quarterback to develop behind Tony Romo. After failing to trade up to select Paxton Lynch and Connor Cook,^[23] they selected Prescott in the fourth round (135th overall).^[24] The rookie moved up on the depth chart when backup quarterback Kellen Moore broke his right tibia during the first week of training camp and after the Cowboys couldn't reach an agreement with the Cleveland Browns to trade for backup Josh McCown.^[25]

After Moore's injury, Prescott competed with second-year quarterback Jameill Showers for the backup job to established starter Tony Romo. Several reports from August training camp indicated that Showers outperformed Prescott, showing greater accuracy and a quicker release.^[26] However, the Cowboys coaching staff made the decision to start Prescott in the team's preseason opener at the Los Angeles Rams. Working with the Cowboys' first-team offense, Prescott completed 10 of 12 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns in one half of action, though Dallas would lose the game 24-28.^[27] Prescott continued his hot streak throughout the rest of the preseason, impressing all with his veteran-like pocket poise and decision making.^[28]

After starting quarterback Tony Romo suffered a vertebral compression fracture during the first quarter of the Cowboys' Week 3 preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks, and in light of Romo's projected 8–10 week recovery time,^[29] Prescott was named the Cowboys starter for the beginning of the 2016 season.^[30]

Prescott's first regular-season start came on September 11, 2016 at home versus the New York Giants, becoming the fourth rookie quarterback to open the season as a starter in franchise history, and the first rookie to start at quarterback for the Cowboys since Quincy Carter in 2001.^[31] He totaled 227 passing yards on 25 of 45 attempts, as the Cowboys lost, 20–19.^[32] During Week 2 against the Washington Redskins, Prescott had 292 passing yards and a rushing touchdown. The Cowboys won, 27–23. Prescott threw his first NFL touchdown, a 17-yarder to Dez Bryant, during the Cowboys' Week 3 Sunday Night Football matchup against the Chicago Bears.^[33] In total he threw for 248 yards, the one touchdown, and also had a rushing score. The Cowboys won 31–17.^[34] In Week 4 at the San Francisco 49ers, Prescott passed for two touchdowns and 245 yards as the Cowboys won, 24–17.^[35] Against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 5, Prescott threw for 227 yards and a score while running for another in a 28–14 Cowboys victory.^[36] Week 6 the Cowboys faced the Green Bay Packers. Prescott had three touchdowns and 247 passing yards as the Cowboys won 30–16. The game marked the end of Prescott's interception-free streak.^[37] After a Week 7 bye, the Cowboys faced off against the Philadelphia Eagles and fellow rookie quarterback Carson Wentz for their first career matchup. The Cowboys prevailed in overtime 29–23, with Prescott totaling three touchdowns (two passing and one rushing) and 287 passing yards.^[38] Week 9 saw the Cowboys beat the Cleveland Browns 35-10, with Prescott providing 247 passing yards and three touchdowns. In Week 10 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cowboys won 35–30, with Prescott passing for 319 yards and three scores. The Cowboys continued their win streak in Week 11 by beating the Baltimore Ravens 27–17 with Prescott throwing for 301 yards and three touchdowns. Week 12's annual Thanksgiving game provided a 31–26 win over the Washington Redskins. Prescott had two touchdowns (one rushing and one passing) and a season low 195 passing yards.^[38] His outstanding performance in November earned him Offensive Rookie of the Month.^[39]

Career statistics

Career highlights & awards

• NFC Offensive rookie of the month – November, 2016 ^[40]

NFL records

In Week 6 of the 2016 season, Prescott, with 176 attempts, broke the record for most consecutive pass attempts without an interception to start a career; a record previously held by Tom Brady at 162 attempts in 2000-2001. This is also the record for consecutive attempts without an interception by a rookie, having broken the record set by Carson Wentz at 134 earlier in 2016. Wentz and Prescott had been exchanging the rookie record after having broken the Chad Hutchinson record of 95 set in 2002.^[41][42][43]

In Week 13 of the 2016 season, Prescott had his 10th game of the season with an over 100 NFL passer rating, breaking the rookie record of 9 set by Russell Wilson in 2012.^[44]

Personal life

He is the son of Nathaniel and Peggy Prescott and has two older brothers, Tad and Jace, and an older sister Natalie Prescott-Smith and older brother Elliott Prescott from his father's previous marriage. Jace was an offensive lineman at Northwestern State. His mother died of colon cancer in November 2013.^[3][45][46] His father is an African American and his late mother White American.^[47]

On March 12, 2016, Prescott was arrested for driving under the influence in Starkville, Mississippi. Prescott took two breathalyzer tests, neither of which yielded a valid result. The first result was an "invalid sample" and the second was an "insufficient sample."^[48][49] On July 27, 2016, he appeared in Starkville Municipal Court and was found not guilty on all charges.^{[50][51][52][53]} Several sources have indicated that the DUI arrest caused Prescott to fall lower in the draft.^[54][55][56]

See also

• Mississippi State Bulldogs football statistical leaders

References

External links

• Mississippi State profile
• Media related to Dak Prescott at Wikimedia Commons